Oven door hinge



June 4, v1,963 H. Moss 3,092,097

OVEN DOOR HINGE 4 Filed Sept. 29. 1960 2:1' .5. INVENTOR. J fdlzd J M055 BY www /7 TTUR/VEYS 3,092,097 OVEN DUUR GE Harold J. Moss, Cieveiand, Tenn., assigner to Magic Chef, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 29, 196), Ser. No. 59,402 2 Claims. (Cl. 126-194) This invention relates to hinge mounting means for doors, and will be described with particular reference to an oven door on a range. However, it is to be understood that the invention may be applied to other doors on other articles.

Briefly, the invention comprises a novel and simplied hinge assembly adapted to be mounted in the range for supporting the oven door in such a manner that the hinge axis of the door may be adjusted, either at the time of assembly or subsequent thereto, to position the door, when in its closed position, at the desired distance from or in abutting contact with the front face of the range housing. The novel hinge structure comprises a hinge member having a relatively long shank portion pivotally mounted to the range housing on the interior thereof and having its other end formed to a general hook-shape and projecting outwardly through the front face of the housing. The free end of the hook-shaped member carries a hinge pivot on which a second hinging member is pivotally mounted, said second hinging member being attached to the oven door to hingedly support the same. An adjusting screw extends from the front panel of the housing inwardly to an intermediate point on the shank of the lirstnamed hinge member whereby rotation of the screw effects adjustment of the hinge axis toward or from the front of the range housing. Means are provided for locking the screw against inadvertent change of position. The hinge means further includes a counterbalancing means comprising an arcuate arm extending from the second hinge member and into the housing for attachrnent to a counterbalancing spring.

It is therefore an object of this invention to prow'de hinging means for a door, and particularly an oven door, which can be adjusted either at the time of assembly of the range or subsequent thereto, Ito adjust the hinge axis toward or from the front face ofthe supporting structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge means of the type set forth that is not only adjustable but entirely concealed when the door is closed and substantially concealed when the door is open.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hinge means of the type set forth including a counterbalancing arm as a part thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hinge means of the type set forth that can be adjustably positioned as described and then positively locked in the desired position of adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable hinge means of the type set forth wherein the adjustment may be performed from outside the housing by the manipulation of inconspicuous adjusting means.

An additional object is to provide a hinge means as set forth that is simple and economical in construction, yet eicient and reliable in operation.

Other and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of a range, with parts broken away, illustrating the hinge means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

3,692,097 Patented June 4,1963

In the drawings a hollow housing 2 is shown, representing the outer housing of a kitchen range or the like and having a front panel 4 defining a front surface which in turn defines an oven opening 6 and, as illustrated, a further opening 8 therebelow which may be an opening for a drawer or the like. In the opening 8 a suitable drawer (not shown in detail) may be mounted and provided with a front cover or panel 10 overlying the margin of the opening 8. As shown, the oven opening 6 and drawer opening 8 are spaced inwardly from a side wall 12 of the range housing to provide a hollow chamber-like space 14 between the oven and the drawer space and the side panel 12.

A hinging means comprising a llat strap of sheet metal is formed to provide a shank portion 16 having its lower end pivotally mounted to a side wall 9 of the drawer compartment by suitable pivoting means 18, shown herein as a bolt and nut. The shank portion 16 extends upwardly from the pivot 1S and terminates in a laterally directed hook portion 2li. The hook portion 20 extends forwardly and outwardly of the housing 2 through a slot 22 in the front face or wall 4 of the range housing. The hook portion 26 includes a downwardly extending end portion 24 carrying a hinging pivot pin 26 thereon. While the hinge member comprising the shank 16 and hook portion 20 are shown as including an olset bend 28 therein, the same will be referred to hereinafter as being substantially ilat.

Intermediate its ends the shank portion 16 is provided with an opening 30 (see FIG. 3) inwhich a trunnion nut 32 is pivotally mounted. The trunnion nut 32 comprises a barrel pontion extending through the opening 30 and a thin head 34 bearing against one face of the shank portion 16. The barrel portion of the nut 32 is provided with a transverse threaded opening 36 therein through which an adjusting screw 38 is threaded. Ihe axis of rotation of the trunnion nut 32 is substantially parallel to the pivotal axis on which the shank portion 16 is mounted, at 18, whereas the axis of the threaded opening 36 is transverse to that axis.

The adjusting screw 38 extends forwardly and outwardly through an opening 40 in the front panel 4 and is provided with a slotted head 42 bearing against the outer or front face of the housing. A suitable lock washer 44 and lock nut 46 are mounted on the screw 38 adjacent the inner face of the panel 4.

A second hinge member 4S is likewise formed of flat strap sheet metal and includes a portion Si) (FIGS. l and 2.) pivotally mounted on the hing-ing pin 26 previously described. The portion 5t) is provided with a flange 52 at one edge thereof for a purpose to be described. The hinge member 48 extends upwardly from the portion 50 and is offset laterally at S4, then upwardly to define a further portion 56 from which an integral arcuate anni 58 extends rearwardly and downwardly. 'Ilhe arcuate arm 58 is concentric to the axis of hinge pin 26 and extends inwardly through the front panel 4 to the interior ofthe housing, through a slot 60 in the front panel. The arm 5S curves inwardly and downwardly, `as shown in FIG. 2, in a plane laterally offset :from the hook portion Ztl and the portion 5t? of hinge member 48. At its lower end the arcuate arm 58 is provided with an opening 62 in which one end of a tension spring 64 is hooked. The other end of the tens-ion spring `64 is secured to any suitable holding means (not shown) xed in the space 14 of the housing 2.

An oven door of the usual construction is provided for closing the access opening 6. The door includes a relatively thick portion 66 extending into the oven open- :ing and a hollow flange-like portion overlying the outer edges of the opening 6. The flange-like portion is provided with a front `face panel 68 and inner sheet metal panels including a panel portion 70 adjacent the slot 22. Another inner metal portion 72 of the oven door is provided with a slot '74 in alignment with the slot 22 of panel 4 and a second slot 76 in alignment with the slot 6%, previously described. The slot 74 and the hollow interior of the flange-like portion rof the door thus define a recess in the inner face of the oven door into which the hook-shaped member extends. rIlhe ange 52 of the hinge member 4S is bolted or otherwise secured to the door member 70 to thereby mount the door on the range housing. Y

As will be apparent, the door is thus mounted for hinging movement .about the hinging pin Z6 and upon such hinging movement the arcuate arm SS swings outwardly and inwardly through the slot 6d. The tension spring 64 constitutes a counterlbalance for the oven door.

It will vfurther be noted that the hinging .of the oven door is located within a recess therein so that the entire hinge structure is completely concealed when the door is closed.

Upon assembly of the range the parts are mounted as shown and it is desirable that the inner face of the angelike portion of the oven door abut quite snugly against the front face of the housing but without suihcient pressure to cau-se distortion of the parts. To achieve that result without resorting to extremely precise manufacturing methods and the precision location of various parts, which is extremely expensive and difficult to achieve, the desired adjustment of the door position may be etected by rotating the screw 38 to thus swing the shankportion 16 about its pivot 18 and place the axis oi hinge pin 26 at the exact desired distance from the front face of panel 4 of the housing. When the hinge is thus adju-sted to the desired position the lock nut 46 is tightened and the hinge is thus locked in the desired position oi adjustment. To further insure locking of the hinge in the desired position of adjustment against inadvertent displ-acement and to prevent looseness, the trunnion nut 32 may be dimpled by pressing a portion inwardly, as shown at '78 in FIG. 3 to thus jam a portion of the nut against the threads of adjusting screw 3S. If it is ever found necessary or desirable to accomplish :further adjustment of the hinge axis 26 after the range is assembled, the screw1`38 may be forcibly manipulated, through its head 42, to effect such minor adjustment. It is .to be noted further that lthe head 42 is the only portion of the adjusting mechanism visible from the exterior of fthe housing and it is located between adjacent edges of the `oven door and the drawer front 10 so that it is yaccessible but inconspicuous.

While a single specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that other modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. An enclosure comprising, a housing having a front face defining an access opening, rst hinge member pivotally mounted in said housing on an axis generally parallel to said front face, a portion of said hinge member extending outwardly of said housing and having a hinging pivot thereon adjacent an edge of said access opening, adjust-ing means for pivotally adjusting and holding said hinge member about its pivotal axis whereby to adjust said hnging pivot toward yor .from said front face and hold the same lin said xed position, said adjusting means including means for securely locking said hinge member in a selected position of pivotal adjustment, and a door for said access opening pivotally mounted on said hinging pivot, 2. An enclosure las deiined in claim l wherein said adjusting and locking means includes a screw having a head bearing against said front face adjacent said opening, said screw extending into said housing and being threaded into a member pivotally mounted on said hinge member, and a lock nut on said screw arranged to Ihear against an inner surface of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent j UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,586,573 Slopa Feb. 19, 1952 2,757,663 Pearce Aug. 7, 1956 2,77 6,65 5 Ferguson et al Ian. 8, l1957 2,823,663 Aten et al Feb. 18, 1958 2,917,040 v Aten' Dec. 15,1959 

1. AN ENCLOSURE COMPRISING, A HOUSING HAVING A FRONT FACE DEFINING AN ACCESS OPENING, FIRST HINGE MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING ON AN AXIS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID FRONT FACE, A PORTION OF SAID HINGE MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A HINGING PIVOT THEREON ADJACENT AN EDGE OF SAID ACCESS OPENING, ADJUSTING MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY ADJUSTING AND HOLDING SAID HINGE MEMBER ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL AXIS WHEREBY TO ADJUST SAID HINGING PIVOT TOWARD OR FROM SAID FRONT FACE AND HOLD THE SAME IN SAID FIXED POSITION, SAID ADJUSTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR SECURELY LOCKING SAID HINGE MEMBER IN A SELECTED POSITION OF PIVOTAL ADJUSTMENT, AND A DOOR FOR SAID ACCESS OPENING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HINGING PIVOT. 